If I send someone a US IRC...

[ginctm]

Is that just as good as sending a Canadian IRC? (I don't see how it's different). Would they still be able to redeem it for correct postage to Canada?

Canadian IRC's are $4, US IRC's are 2.10... It's cheaper to send an american one.. Even after the currency is converted.( Shipping mite be nasty though)

Thanks!

[SilentEcho219]

You can buy Canadian stamps on Canada Post's website ( http://www.canadapost.ca ) and they will ship for free to the US. It takes about a week to get them.

To answer your question though, all IRC's are the same. They can be redeemed in any country that is a member of the Universal Postal Union, regardless of where you bought them.

In my opinion, get the Canadian stamps if you can. One IRC is only worth "the minimum postage for an unregistered priority airmail letter of up to twenty grams" (according to Wikipedia), so considering it is international rate postage and if you want an 8x10 photo back or two, you will need to send several IRCs. Even if you buy the US priced IRCs, you would probably end up paying the price for six $1.00 Canadian stamps. Three stamps will cover the cost for a large envelope to come back to you with two 8x10s and even a sheet of thin cardboard. So if you bought the stamps you'd basically get "two SASEs for the price of one".

[dfreely]

Hm, did Canada Post always ship stamps free to the US? I could've sworn they charged a rate when I looked last year.

I definitely agree on getting stamps if you can. IRCs are best saved for sending to obscure countries (ones you don't often send to) where getting their stamps might not be "worth the effort", or for certain countries like Australia where the price and value of IRCs are about even.

[SilentEcho219]

Hm, did Canada Post always ship stamps free to the US? I could've sworn they charged a rate when I looked last year.

Not sure if they always did. I did an order a few weeks ago and also one last week (just got those today) and the shipping was free. The Free option is for their regular standard shipping, but I guess since it's international they actually ship via their Xpresspost option.

[ginctm]

I only really need one IRC, Theres a German autograph that I want to get, and no easy way to get german stamps.

The USPS won't ship any orders to canada so I can't get any proper denominational stamps, just over paying for american stamps from the Canada post website. They don't carry american stamps at the post offices, I've checked a couple.. I'm not even sure if they sell IRC's.

[SilentEcho219]

I only really need one IRC, Theres a German autograph that I want to get, and no easy way to get german stamps.

The USPS won't ship any orders to canada so I can't get any proper denominational stamps, just over paying for american stamps from the Canada post website. They don't carry american stamps at the post offices, I've checked a couple.. I'm not even sure if they sell IRC's.

Oops, sorry. I misunderstood. Thought you wanted to send to Canada from somewhere else. My bad.

I think if you want to cover the whole postage from Germany back to Canada you're going to need more than one IRC, since the coupon is only worth basically one standard German stamp, and they are most likely going to need more than one stamp for a large envelope with a photo.

The IRCs cost so much, so you'd think they'd be worth a lot more - postage wise - but they are quite a rip off when you realize that they are exchanged for just a regular stamp in the other country. But if you have no way of getting the other country's postage, there is unfortunately no other way.

[dfreely]

Not sure if they always did. I did an order a few weeks ago and also one last week (just got those today) and the shipping was free. The Free option is for their regular standard shipping, but I guess since it's international they actually ship via their Xpresspost option.

I doubt they'd use their fastest service for free shipping, but either way, this certainly makes my Canadian requests much easier.

I only really need one IRC, Theres a German autograph that I want to get, and no easy way to get german stamps.

The USPS won't ship any orders to canada so I can't get any proper denominational stamps, just over paying for american stamps from the Canada post website. They don't carry american stamps at the post offices, I've checked a couple.. I'm not even sure if they sell IRC's.

Hm, I think I somehow misunderstood you to be an American wanting to send to Canada when you're actually the other way around. Luckily, USPS prices to Canada are cheaper than to other countries so you won't need to spend as much, but IRCs are still a huge ripoff if they cost you $4, since they're only worth $0.98 here. If you planning quite a few American requests, I'd suggest that you find a forum member who's willing to sell you Americans stamps.

[SilentEcho219]

I doubt they'd use their fastest service for free shipping, but either way, this certainly makes my Canadian requests much easier.

I didn't pay anything for shipping and the envelope I got today said "Xpresspost" on the Canadian label and there was also a USPS label on it that said Priority Mail. When you go to order there is a FREE option and the Xpresspost option, but I think this really only applied to those in Canada. Both orders I haven't paid shipping on and they both came Xpresspost/Priority Mail.